On November 27, 2025, the European Parliament sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles by approving a resolution to block €156 million (about $177 million or Sh23.44 billion) in aid to Tanzania. The move, which came after a landslide vote of 539 in favor and just 27 abstentions, was a direct response to what lawmakers described as a "deteriorating human rights situation" following Tanzania's October general election. The resolution is not yet binding, pending final sign-off by the EU Council and Commission, but it signals a dramatic escalation in international concerns over the East African nation’s political climate.
According to Eastleigh Voice, the European Parliament’s decision comes on the heels of credible reports of post-election killings and an environment of growing intimidation targeting opposition figures, journalists, civil society organizations, and human rights defenders. The October polls, which saw President Samia Suluhu Hassan declared the winner with a staggering 98% of the vote, were marred by a boycott from a major opposition party and allegations of widespread rigging. Opposition leaders were either jailed or disqualified, and observers reported clear signs of manipulation.
Central to the Parliament’s concerns is the continued imprisonment of Tundu Lissu, a prominent opposition leader who has been jailed since April on treason charges that carry the death penalty if convicted. The Parliament’s resolution, part of a broader package addressing global human rights abuses, demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Lissu. It also called for an African-led and international investigation into the killings, disappearances, torture, and other abuses reported during the election period.
“MEPs adopted a non-binding resolution, by show of hands, asking the Commission to withdraw a draft decision on the financing of the EU’s Annual Action Plan (AAP) for Tanzania for 2025. MEPs believe the current state of the Commission’s AAP does not fully reflect the democratic and human rights deficiencies in Tanzania in recent years, particularly since October’s fraudulent elections and the violent post-election government crackdown,” the European Parliament stated.
The aftermath of the October 29 election was anything but peaceful. Protesters—many of them young people—flooded the streets, challenging what they called a fraudulent process that excluded or detained credible challengers. According to rights groups and opposition tallies cited by DW and Reuters, security forces responded with lethal force, allegedly acting on shoot-to-kill orders. The result: hundreds, and possibly thousands, of deaths, with reports of mass graves surfacing in multiple regions. Yet, a month after the unrest, the Tanzanian government has still not released official casualty figures.
The international outcry has not been limited to Europe. The United States weighed in, with a bipartisan pair of senators on the Foreign Relations Committee condemning the polls as “marred by state-sponsored political repression, targeted abductions and manipulation.” They further asserted that a “heavy handed security response (to the protests) resulted in the death of hundreds and the abduction and imprisonment of many more,” calling for a reassessment of US-Tanzania relations.
Meanwhile, the United Nations and opposition groups echoed these concerns, estimating that possibly hundreds of people lost their lives in the post-election violence. The government, for its part, has neither confirmed nor denied these figures, instead establishing a commission of inquiry to investigate the unrest.
On November 28, Tanzania’s foreign minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo convened a meeting with foreign diplomats in Dar es Salaam, urging them to refrain from making statements that could “disrupt or distort” the ongoing inquiry. “Many of these statements, while well-intentioned, may inadvertently disrupt or distort the ongoing inquiry,” Kombo said in a statement, as reported by Reuters. “The government is urging them to restrain themselves and allow Tanzania the space to complete the investigation.” Kombo added that while Tanzania respects freedom of expression, “such freedoms must operate within the bounds of responsibility.”
The government’s commission of inquiry—launched by President Samia on November 20—has drawn skepticism from opposition parties, who claim it is staffed by ruling party loyalists. President Samia has charged the commission not only with investigating the violence but also with determining “who paid the youths” to protest, insisting that authorities possess evidence of both external and local actors financing the unrest. “Your job is to find out not only what rights they want precisely, but also who their paymasters were,” she said, according to Eastleigh Voice.
As the inquiry proceeds, the government has taken steps aimed at easing tensions, though critics remain unconvinced. In a surprise move, Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba announced on November 24 the cancellation of Tanzania’s Independence Day celebrations, which were to be held on December 9. The government said the funds earmarked for the festivities would instead be used to rebuild infrastructure damaged during the unrest. At the same time, hundreds of young protesters arrested in the wake of the violence faced treason charges, a crime that carries the death penalty in Tanzania. Following a call from President Samia to de-escalate the situation, around 200 of these charges were dropped on November 24.
Despite these gestures, anger and mistrust linger. Opposition parties and civil society organizations continue to denounce what they see as a climate of fear and repression. The Parliament’s resolution, adopted with overwhelming support, underscores a growing consensus among international observers that Tanzania’s recent elections and their aftermath represent a grave setback for democracy and human rights in the region.
It’s not just the European Union and United States watching closely. The developments in Tanzania have sparked debate across Africa and within international human rights circles about the proper balance between national sovereignty and global accountability. The Tanzanian government insists that it must be allowed to complete its own inquiry without outside interference, but critics argue that the scale and severity of the alleged abuses warrant independent oversight.
For now, the fate of the €156 million in EU aid—and the broader trajectory of Tanzania’s political future—hangs in the balance. As the commission of inquiry continues its work, and as international pressure mounts, all eyes remain fixed on Dar es Salaam. Whether the government’s efforts at reconciliation and investigation will be seen as credible, or as mere window dressing, may well determine the country’s standing on the world stage for years to come.
With the stakes so high and the wounds from October’s election still fresh, Tanzanians and the international community alike are left waiting—hoping for answers, for accountability, and for a path forward that restores trust in the nation’s democracy.